Official opening of the MUGA

Greenock Cricket Club's new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) was officially opened at Glenpark by Mrs Ann McGarva on Sunday afternoon in front of a sizeable crowd of invited guests, members and friends.

Speaking at the opening of the facility, Colin McDougall, the Greenock CC Project Leader, was very grateful to acknowledge the financial contributions of Inverclyde Council (through the Community Facilities Fund), the Legacy 2014 Active Places Fund (administered by SportScotland) and generous support from the A.M. Ross Family Foundation.

McDougall stated, "Without the financial assistance from these different sources, this project would have remained but an aspiration for the Club. The opening of our Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), celebrates the culmination of three years planning and effort which has led to the provision of this excellent facility. Greenock Cricket Club now has an amenity which is all-weather, floodlit and is suitable for a large number of sporting and training uses."

In attendance at the new Glenpark facility opening were representatives of the various funding partners including Inverclyde Councillors Martin Brennan and Jim Clocherty, Graham Finnie (Facilities Manager, SportScotland), Duncan McNeil MSP, Mrs Ann McGarva and her son Neil McGarva.

On behalf of Inverclyde Council, Environment & Regeneration Convener, Councillor Michael McCormick, said: "This is the kind of project the Community Facilities Fund was set up to support. I am delighted we were able to contribute to the project which I am sure will be a huge success amongst Inverclyde's cricket playing community."

Following the unveiling of commemorative plaques by Mrs Ann McGarva, two teams of the club's under 12 girls and boys played a game of Kwik Cricket on the MUGA, watched by many of those in attendance.

Greenock CC President, Peter Robertson, said, "The project, which was three years in the planning,extends the ability of Greenock Cricket Club to offer to its membership an area to play, practice and enjoy sport. It is an area which will be utilised by men and women, boys and girls across the age ranges of our Club membership and is, without doubt, the single most important improvement made to Glenpark facilities in many years."

The photographs below show the MUGA in use and also the two teams of girls and boys who played the demonstration game.

Additionally, the 1st XI captain Shailesh Prabhu's wife, Angela, took a number of photographs of the kids playing the game and these can be accessed at this link. Angela has said that if any parent wishes a full  resolution version of any of these pictures, then they can  email her at angelaprabhu@gmail.com and she will be happy to provide them.